Compliance is one of the most common reasons for treatment failure in otitis externa cases
Nearly Half Of Dog Owners Find Treating Otitis Externa At Home Difficult
8 years ago 
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Ear infections are among the top 10 reasons dogs are presented to vets, but nearly half of owners say they find treating their dog at home difficult, according to new findings.
New surveys of vets and owners by Elanco Animal Health has focused on the issue of compliance when treating OE cases. They also went on the road to speak to owners and vets about their experiences of treating the condition.
While the survey revealed that 83% of owners are confident they are administering ear drops correctly, 9 out of 10 vets rank compliance as one of the main factors behind treatment failure. Studies support this, having shown that up to 80% of owners administer the incorrect dose when applying ear medications to their dog.
Of the owners that had administered ear medications to their dog, nearly half struggled to do so, with 43% of these owners saying their dog runs away or hides. In addition, one third felt their vet did not appreciate how difficult administering treatment at home can be.
The struggle encountered by owners is also highlighted in a short video, where real dog owners speak of their experiences on camera.
Victoria Sumpter BVSc MRCVS, Technical Marketing Manager UK-Ireland at Elanco Animal Health commented: ‘’It is really important for vets to be aware of how difficult owners can find it to administer ear medications at home, and also the implications that poor compliance can have on treatment outcome.’’
Osurnia, voted best new veterinary product at the VMA awards*, avoids the cause of these issues. It puts the control back into vets’ hands, with just two doses, one week apart – helping to improve the outcome of OE cases** by reducing the stress of the owner and dog when it comes to administration.
To view the infographic and video visit www.osurnia.co.uk/resources
You can get up-to-date on the management and treatment of otitis externa at the Osurnia Roadshow. The Roadshows will be taking place across the UK in May and June. For more information, or to book, head to roadshows.osurnia.co.uk.
References:
1. O’Neill DG, Church DB, McGreevy PD, Thomson PC, Brodbelt DC. Prevalence of Disorders Recorded in Dogs Attending Primary-Care Veterinary Practices in England. PLoS ONE. 2014; 9(3)
2. OnePoll survey of 402 UK dog owners who had administered ear drops to their pet, February 2016, commissioned by Elanco Animal Health
3. Industry survey of 341 UK practising vets, February 2016, commissioned by Elanco Animal Health
4. Intern J Appl Res Vet Med, Vol 9, No2, 2011
*Online survey conducted on 290 small animal vets in March 2016, conducted by CM Research
** For the treatment of acute otitis externa and acute exacerbation of recurrent otitis externa associated with Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Malassezia pachydermatis in dogs.
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